Slayers belongs to Kadokawa Shoten.
NAGA: WHEW! What a night, huh?!
SHADOW LINA: Yeah, but it's over and I'm off to buy a new dress! Later!……
Hey…That drunk in the street looks awfully familiar….MISTER XELLOS?!
Faces: After!
Part 17
Xellos!
A Broken Man Still Bleeds.
"Oh you have GOT to be kidding me!" Naga complained as she thumbed through
the Claire Bible manuscript.
"What is it, Miss Naga?" Shadow Lina asked, sitting across from the sorceress at
the breakfast table.
"Listen to this," the White Serpent ordered, placing her finger at the beginning of a
paragraph and reading. "'Once the first, second, and third parts of the spell are cast, the
caster must place the magical conductor, until this point held in his hand, INTO the target
directly, using his own strength and faith in Cepheid to hold it in place as he chants the
final words of the spell, bringing down Cepheid's wrath upon the target and His blessing
upon the caster.'"
"So?" the shadow asked.
"'So?!'" Naga repeated. "From the sound of it, this book expects me to bring
down something as powerful as the Dragon Slave and shoot MYSELF with it as well as
whatever I want to destroy! It's a suicide attack!"
"That sounds bad," Shadow Lina agreed.
Naga sighed in frustration. "Yes…Very bad…Crap!"
"Miss Naga, is it okay if I go into town for awhile?" the shadow asked suddenly.
"What for?"
Shadow Lina blushed. "I wanna buy a new dress for when Jeffrey takes me out."
Naga snorted. "You really are Lina's opposite, you know that? The real Lina
would never be caught dead in a dress…"
Meanwhile…
Lina Inverse growled in pain as she walked. How did other women do this?! If
she wasn't tripping over her own skirt, she was coming within an inch of breaking her
ankle on these DAMN SHOES!
"Oi, Lina?" Gourry asked, walking up beside her. "Are you okay?"
"NO, I'M NOT OKA…" The sorceress broke off, took a deep breath, and…
Sniffled.
"No, Gourry dear," she whimpered. "These shoes are so MEAN!"
The blond man blinked. "Why don't you just put on your boots?"
Lina growled low in her throat. "Because…proper…young….LADIES…do
NOT…wear…BOOTS!"
Gourry blinked again. "Sylphiel wears boots."
The redhead stopped walking, her eye twitching.
"Lina?"
A soft growl was rumbling in the redhead's throat.
"Oi? Lina?"
"Never…mind….Gourry…dear…" she bit out before setting out again.
Gourry just scratched his head and watched her go.
"Well…" Shadow Lina drawled out, "I guess that means I'm SUPPOSED to have
dresses and stuff!"
Naga stared at her for a good minute. Then, "Get out of my sight."
"Miss Naga?"
"LEAVE ME!"
Shadow Lina cringed a bit, then ran from the inn into the street. This was going to
be fun! She loved shopping for dresses! They were so pretty and frilly and colorful and…
She stopped. There was something very wrong. Her head shot from side to side,
searching for the source of the disturbance. Without really knowing why, she turned and
started down an alley.
"Hello?" she called out. "Is there someone here?" She paused as her foot struck
something on the ground. She knelt down and picked up the object. The gem in Xellos'
staff, now dark black and dull, stared back at her from its place atop the broken staff.
"Mister Xellos?" she called out. "Are you out here?"
She stood up and took a few more steps down the alley. Suddenly, she gasped and
rushed forward.
"Mister Xellos!"
The priest's body was lying in a puddle of water. His black cloak was worn and
pale, as if it had been sitting out in the elements for a thousand years. Streaks of grey ran
through his hair.
The shadow rolled the Mazoku onto his back and bit her nails anxiously. What was
she supposed to do? Xellos' face was pale and gaunt. His eyes were closed. Was he
even alive?!
"Mister Xellos?" she asked, giving him a gentle nudge with her hand. "Mister
Xellos? Wake up. Please?" She bit her lip then suddenly set her jaw and nodded.
Grabbing him by both hands, she started to drag him back towards the street. "Hang on,
Mister Xellos!" she ordered.
Two blondes sat the breakfast table, neither one willing to look the other in the eye.
Naga, meanwhile, was still thumbing through the Claire Bible manuscript, searching for the
warrantee.
"What can I get you ladies?" the waiter asked.
"Tea."
"Coffee."
The waiter disappeared, leaving the dragons relatively alone again. The silence
was deafening. Neither one spoke for several minutes, refusing to even look at one
another. Finally…
"Amara…"
"Filia…"
They paused.
"About what you saw last night…"
"No, Filia, please. Let me." Amara took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "It is
not my place to pass judgement on how you conduct your relationship with Lord Xellos…"
"That's kind of you to say, but…"
"BUT WHY HAVEN'T YOU BEDDED HIM?!" Amara suddenly cried.
Every head in the restaurant turned to Filia. The golden dragon turned beet red and
started to sweat. She turned and angry glare on her sister. "Amara!"
The older dragon wouldn't hear it. "Filia! He's….Can't you…" She sighed and
shook her head.
"I have no interest at all in that…that…NAMAGOMI!"
From across the table, Naga snorted.
"What's THAT supposed to mean?!" Filia asked the sorceress harshly.
"Deus ex Machina," Naga began, "You can say whatever you like, but the fact of
the matter is, that passion pill Lina chan gave you turned you into jelly every time you
heard his voice."
"That…That doesn't mean anything!" Filia defended.
"Passion pill?" Amara asked.
Naga grinned. "It means more than you think, child. Passion pills only work on
pre-existing attraction." She stood up and put her grinning face an inch from Filia's. "That
means there's a REASON you went after Xellos, and not Jeffrey or any other man in Atlas
City."
Filia growled. "I'm going to say this just once," she said deathly quiet. "I am not
attracted to Xellos in any way…shape…or form."
"I'm confused," Amara admitted. "I thought you and he were to be married."
The younger dragon sighed. "Amara, I only said that to keep YOU away from him!
He's a dangerous, EVIL man!"
"I don't believe that for a minute," Amara told her.
"Then you're a fool!" Filia cried. "There isn't a single good thing about him! Not
one redeeming quality! You give him FAR too much credit!"
"Didn't he help you save the world?" Amara asked in a whisper.
Filia was halted dead in her tracks. "I hate him," she whispered.
"So?" Naga asked with a shrug. She grinned evilly. "They say hate sex is the best
sex."
"If you hate him so much, then why are you even here?!" Amara asked bitterly.
"Because Little Val needs…"
"Oh, please, Filia!" Amara snapped. "You're not THAT naïve!" Filia blinked.
"Are you telling me the Kataart dragons would have turned him away? That the LAST
Ancient Dragon would've been tossed aside to fend for himself!" Filia took a step back,
and Amara advanced. "Why do you use your mace, Filia, when you KNOW you'll never
be able to hit him with it?"
Naga arched an eyebrow at this and waited for Filia to answer.
"Why not use one of your spells to destroy him?" Amara continued. "If he is so
intolerable, then why do you tolerate him?!"
Filia gulped. "I…I…"
"Somebody help me!"
The three of them turned to find Shadow Lina dragging something inside through the
doorway. Amara gasped.
"Lord Xellos!"
"I found him in the street!" Shadow Lina explained as she dragged the unmoving
form inside. "I can't tell if he's alive or not!"
"Let's get him upstairs, quickly!" Amara ordered. They each took a limb and
started up the stairs. As they cleared the stairwell and started down the hall, they ran into
Jeffrey.
"Hey, what's going on?" he asked.
"Mister Xellos is sick!" Shadow Lina whined.
"Okay, everyone! This way!" Amara ordered, holding onto Xellos' left arm.
"Um…Which room is his?"
"He doesn't have one," Naga explained, holding onto the Mazoku's right leg.
"He doesn't?" Shadow Lina asked, holding onto the left leg. "I just thought he
went to bed really late and just woke up really early…"
"We'll put him in Filia's room!" Amara told them. She started pulling the priest
down towards her sister's room.
"Wait just a second!" Filia cried, Xellos' right arm in her hands. "Why MY
room?!"
"Because he's YOUR fiancé!" Amara growled.
"I just got done telling you…"
"Hey, could we have this spat later?!" Naga interjected. "He's heavy, you know!"
"Actually," Shadow Lina whispered. "I think he's lighter than he was before…"
Amara took a sharp breath and started pulling them down the hall. "Come on!" she
urged.
Despite Filia's protests, they did carrying him into the younger dragon's room and
deposited him on her bed. Amara tucked him in and felt his forehead. Pulling her hand
away, she looked at it and blinked.
There was a faint glowing mist of black on her hand. She gasped and started
rolling up her sleeves. "Miss Lina," she began, "Bring me bandages, hot water, and ask the
inn keeper for a bottle of brandy."
The redhead ran from the room in search of the articles.
"What's happening to him?" Filia asked her sister quietly.
"He's…" She shook her head. "I don't know. I don't have a word for it. It's like
his astral form is melting away."
"And you think bandages are going to fix that?" Naga asked.
"The bandages aren't for him," Amara told her matter-of-factly.
The shadow returned a moment later carrying everything Amara had told her to
bring. "I also asked Mister Inn Keeper to make some chicken soup. Luna Oneechan
always made me chicken soup when I was sick. I thought it might help."
"I'm afraid chicken soup won't be enough," Amara whispered. "Not in this case."
She turned to the lanky boy standing behind her. "Mister Jeffrey, may I have your dagger
please?"
Jeffrey blinked, but handed the dragon the small knife.
"Are you going to operate, Miss Dragon Lady?" Shadow Lina asked worriedly.
"No," Amara said quietly, "I'm going to give him the Mazoku version of chicken
soup." She held her left palm out in front of her, took a deep breath, and slowly cut into
her flesh with the knife. The dragon maiden winced and grit her teeth in pain.
"Amara!" Filia cried, grabbing her sister's arm and pulling the knife away. "What
do you think you're doing?!"
She broke off as the Mazoku on the bed took a deep breath. Filia blinked.
"Mazoku feed on things like pain," Amara explained, nursing her wounded hand.
"He's wasting away. If we don't get him what he needs soon, he's going to die."
There was silence for a moment.
Amara picked up the knife again and prepared to make another cut in her hand.
Before she could, however, the blade was plucked from her hand. Naga stood over her
and brandished her palm. "The more he gets, the better, right?" she asked. Amara only
nodded. "Hmmph," Naga sniffed. "Never let it be said that Naga the White Serpent is an
uncaring employer!" With that, the sorceress cut into her palm and let the blood dribble
down her arm.
Lying on the bed, Xellos' head rolled to one side, and a soft whimper escaped from
his lips.
Naga saw the blood on her hand and shut her eyes, her face turning pale.
"Blood…I hate blood…" Shadow Lina took some of the bandages and started to wrap up
her employer's hand. Naga looked to the other three Flaming Heroes. "Well?" she asked
expectantly.
Shadow Lina looked scared, but Jeffrey stepped forward. "Any knight would
gladly accept pain to help a fallen comrade!" he announced. "And now, I shall…" Before
he could finish, however, Naga had taken his hand and made a quick cut in it. "OWIE!!!"
Jeffrey screamed, holding his hand. "That really hurt!" Tears were threatening to flow
down his face. "Owieowieowieowie!" he whimpered.
"Poor Lord Jeffrey," Shadow Lina sniffed as she helped bandage his hand. She
turned and found Naga holding the knife out to her. "Me?!" she squeaked.
"You have to," Naga told her.
"Why?!" the shadow whimpered. "It'll hurt!"
"Don't you want to help Xellos?" Naga asked her.
"Well…yeah, but…" The shadow looked miserable. She sighed. "Would the
original Lina do this to help him?"
"HA!" Naga laughed. "By now Lina would have stabbed ME again so SHE
wouldn't have to!"
The shadow sighed again and took the knife. "Fine…" She cringed and whined for
a bit, the slowly put the tip of the knife to her palm.
"Wait!"
They all looked up to see Jeffrey walking towards her. He took the knife from
Shadow Lina and raised his other hand.
"If it means Lina doesn't have to do it…I'll do myself again…" He placed the tip
of the knife on his palm.
"Lord Jeffrey! You mustn't!" Shadow Lina squeaked.
Jeffrey posed. "If it means sparing you pain, Lina, I'm willing to…" Before he
cold finish, Naga leaned over and smacked the hilt of the knife with her hand, forcing the
tip into the boy's hand. "OOOOWWWWWW!!!!!!" he screamed, holding his newly
wounded hand. "OWIEOWIEOWIEOWIE!!!" He started dancing around the room,
blowing on the cut.
"Lord Jeffrey!" the shadow cried, grabbing some bandages and the bottle of brandy
to disinfect it.
Xellos whimpered again in his sleep.
The others turned to Filia.
"Filia," Amara began, "I know what you're going to say, but…" Filia cut her off
however by taking the knife, wrapping her hand around it, and quickly slicing her palm
open. She winced and shut her eyes, a small whimper of pain escaping her lips.
"Well?" Naga asked Amara as she leaned over the priest.
"I think it's going to take more than that," Amara whispered.
"Well, I like him too, but we can't keep stabbing each other!" Naga complained.
Suddenly, there was laughter.
They turned and found Filia laughing as she bandaged her hand. "How stupid can
we get?" she asked.
"Huh?" Shadow Lina asked.
"HE'S FAKING!" Filia screamed. "Don't you see?! This…This is just another of
his stupid pranks!" She pointed at the body on the bed. "Any second now he's going to
jump up and yell, 'SURPRISE!' and laugh at how stupid we are!"
"Filia," Amara whispered.
"We're being conned!" the dragon continued. "Just like always!"
"I don't think…" Shadow Lina began.
As the words were leaving the shadow's mouth, Filia charged forward and grabbed
the Mazoku by the front of his robes. "WAKE UP!" she screamed as Amara and Naga
grabbed a hold of her robes. "STOP PLAYING AROUND! OPEN YOUR EYES,
DAMMIT!" She reached back, then slapped the priest across the face with her wounded
hand. Tears of pain formed in her eyes from the hot sting in her hand.
"Filia! Stop it!" Amara cried, pulling on the dragon. Filia shrugged her off, her
mind on one task.
"Miss Dragon Lady! Please!"
"WAKE UP! I'M NOT FALLING FOR IT THIS TIME, NAMAGOMI!" She
reached back and slapped him again. She cried out as shockwaves of pain ran through her
hand. "OPEN YOUR DAMN EYES AND SAY SOMETHING!"
Another slap, and another cry of pain.
"YOU STUPID, FILTHY, DISGUSTING, SLEAZY, LECHEROUS, BLACK-
HEARTED, PERVERTED, WEAKLING, NAMAGOOOOMMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!"
Another slap.
Suddenly, Xellos gasped and took a deep breath, gulping for air. Filia blinked in
shock. She felt Amara pull her bodily away and saw her lean over the Mazoku.
"Well I'll be damned!" Naga exclaimed. "Now THAT'S tough love!"
It seemed to take all his strength merely to open his eyes, but he did it. Narrow
slits hinting at purple eyes were barely perceived as open at all. His vision was still fuzzy,
and most of the information about his surroundings came from his hearing or, in one
dragon's case, his sense of smell.
Filia was in the room. He could sense her pheromones and that perfume she wore.
She was nearby.
What had happened?
Wait…He remembered.
Metallium had cast him out, taken away his rights as a Mazoku, and left him to die
in the street. He was no longer Xellos Metallium, vassal of the Lord Beastmaster
Metallium, General Priest of the Grand Army of Wolfpack Island…
He was Xellos No Name, a Mazoku who was no longer a Mazoku.
He was nothing.
Less than nothing.
The nothing felt someone touch his face. He turned his head and saw a blonde
woman looking down at him. Squinting, he tried to make out her face. He couldn't speak
yet, and instead mouthed the word, "Filia?"
"No, Lord Xellos," Amara whispered. "It's me. Amara."
"Is he talking?" he heard Shadow Lina ask.
Nothing.
Less than nothing.
He began mouthing the words over and over again.
Nothing….Less than nothing…
Amara placed her ear near his lips, listening. From the faint sounds made by his
moving lips as he breathed, she could just make it out.
"What is he saying?" Filia asked.
Amara strained to listen as the words from the Mazoku's mouth changed suddenly.
Kill me.
The older dragon pulled away from the Mazoku and blinked. "He…um…Says
thank you," she lied. Standing up, she turned to the others. "He should have some rest
now."
"But what if he still needs more bad feelings?" Jeffrey asked.
"No problem," Naga announced. "Jeffrey, come here." The boy eyed the knife
warily. "Oh, relax! I'm not going to cut you again! Just come here!" Jeffrey cluelessly
smiled and stepped forward.
Naga placed her left hand on his shoulder, balled her right hand into a fist, and
punched Jeffrey in the stomach. The boy gasped in pain and fell to one knee.
"Lord Jeffrey!" Shadow Lina cried.
"That oughta do it!" Naga announced, clapping her hands off. "Who wants lunch?"
"I found this lying nearby," Shadow Lina commented as she placed the top half of
Xellos' staff on the lunch table. "I guess someone broke it, huh?"
Amara reached out and took the staff, examining the dark orb that sat at the top.
Things were beginning to make more sense now…
"So," Naga begins, a finger at her lips in thought. "Xellos is walking down the
street, minding his own business, when someone…" She thought for several moments.
"Sneaks up behind him and hits him on the back of the head with a shovel?" She shrugged.
"I don't know, Miss Naga," Jeffrey said, "Mister Xellos is a pretty skilled
warrior. I can't see that happening." Shadow Lina nodded in agreement.
"Maybe he was mugged," Shadow Lina suggested.
"No," Amara said. "This is more serious than that. His staff was broken."
"So?" Naga asked. "Maybe he cracked it over one of the muggers' heads."
The dragon shook her head. "A Mazoku staff isn't a piece of wood and jewelry.
It's an astral representation of the power his overlord bestows on him." She hefted the
piece of wood. "This," she went on, "This held the accumulated power of more than a
thousand years." She turned to Naga. "YOU couldn't break this staff."
"Then who could?" Jeffrey asked.
"The Ruby Eye," she answered. "Easily. The Lord of Nightmares….Perhaps one
of the higher level Shinzoku…" She broke off. "His overlord," she whispered.
"Metallium," a whisper came from the other side of the table. They turned and
saw Filia staring into a teacup. "Metallium did it."
"You mean Mister Xellos' boss did it?!" Shadow Lina asked.
"How can you be so sure?" Naga asked.
In answer, Filia stood up and walked away from the table, up the stairs.
"Miss Amara," Shadow Lina began, "What does all this mean?"
("Nothing…Less than nothing…") The Mazoku's words came back to the dragon.
"It means, Miss Lina," she said, "That Lord Xellos is no longer a Mazoku."
Filia's hand rested on the doorknob for a second, then pulled away. What reason
did SHE have to go in there? It was his problem. And it was exactly what he deserved!
So why was she going in there?
Oh, yes, of course. It was HER room. All her clothes were in there.
So why was she pausing?
Why shouldn't she pause?! There was a lecherous, filthy namagomi in her room!
But he was weak…vulnerable.
Her hand rested on the knob again.
He was resting. She should get her things later.
Her hand came away from the doorknob again.
"Why don't you sit with him for awhile?"
She turned and saw Amara standing near the stairs. The elder sister started
towards her.
"I'm sure it would help," she coaxed.
"I'm just getting my things," Filia sniffed.
"Why are you so ashamed of liking him?" Amara asked her in genuine puzzlement.
"I DON'T like him," Filia growled. "He's trash! I just want to get my things and
move to another room!"
Amara scowled at her. "You…bitch!" Filia looked at her in shock. "Have you no
pity at all!?" Amara hissed at her. "You claim to be better than they are! You're a
priestess! Aren't priestesses supposed to show comfort and mercy to those near death!?"
Filia grimaced. "He's a Mazoku! Nothing more than that! He's killed our kind!
He's tried to kill ME!"
"And you tried to kill him, right?!"
"Yes! And I'd do it again!"
Amara reached out and pushed the door open. Xellos was unconscious on Filia's
bed. "Go for it!"
"Wha…What are you talking about?!"
"Time to put up or shut up, Filia!" Amara told her. "There he is! Your worst
enemy! Weakened! Vulnerable! Go ahead! Finish the job! Kill him!"
"It's what he deserves!" Filia countered.
"Then do it!"
"Don't tempt me!"
"I'm not tempting you, Filia! I'm TELLING you straight out!"
Filia turned to the wounded Mazoku, closed her eyes, and raised her hands.
Amara blinked in shock. "Manaku….Soromu…" Holy energy began to charge in her
hands. She opened an eye and looked at Amara, who had her arms folded over her chest,
waiting. "…Zanaku…" More energy spun around her hands, waiting to be hurled at a
target.
Amara continued to wait.
"…Sakurimu…"
She pointed her hands at Xellos, broken and in no position to defend himself from
Filia's spell.
Amara waited.
Filia bit her lip, the energy swirling around her. All that was left was the action
words…
"Well?" Amara demanded.
"I'll do it," Filia threatened. "Still think I love Xellos?"
"I never said you 'loved' him, Filia," Amara bit out.
"I don't! I can't!" Filia growled.
"Then what are you waiting for?"
Filia closed her eyes, shaking. She opened them a second later and lashed out with
her hands into the bedroom.
"CHAOTIC DISINTEGRATE!"
Shadow Lina hummed at the table as she pulled her new dress out of the box and
admired it. Emerald green with a cute little bow on the left shoulder that…
An explosion from outside interrupted her thoughts. She turned and looked out he
window as the top half of a tree hit the ground outside.
She smiled and turned back to her dress. "Maybe Mister Xellos is feeling better!"
The tree that had been standing outside the window was no more, but the Mazoku
was still lying in the bed, the drapes from the window above him slightly singed from the
spell that had gone right over him.
"You missed," Amara commented dryly.
Filia fell to her knees in the doorway, sobbing. "Why are you doing this to me?"
she asked her sister. She felt Amara kneel down next to her.
"Because, Filia," she whispered. "I know. I know how you were raised. I lived
in that same house, remember? I look at you and I can practically HEAR Father
screaming."
"Father…was a good dragon," Filia whispered. "A good priest…"
"But he tolerated NOTHING, Filia!" Amara hissed. "To him, humans were merely
a type of infestation! Black Dragons were merely an 'impure race,' and the Mazoku….If
half the things he told us about them were true, Ruby Eye himself would hang his head in
shame and beg forgiveness!" She took her sister by the shoulders and looked into her eyes.
"So I know," she went on. "I know…that you care for Xellos…Maybe it's not love. But
you DO care…And because of that…you feel so ASHAMED…"
Tears were running down Filia's face. She tried to look away from her sister, but
Amara held her fast. "I…I can't…" Filia sobbed.
"Why?" Amara asked. "Because of Father?! You can't hate someone because of
what someone else thinks!"
"What would he say?" Filia whispered mournfully. "If he knew? If he knew I
had…fused my power…with Xellos'…What would he say?"
Amara shook her gently. "It doesn't matter what he'd say!" She sighed.
"Filia…You're a priestess. A good one! Better than Father because you can do something
he never could! You can FEEL for a Mazoku. Don't hide that strength!"
"It's not a strength!" Filia cried, shutting her eyes and putting her face in her hands.
"It's not! It's a show of weakness! Of impurity! It makes me…It makes me…"
"Like me?"
Filia looked up at her sister's kind face, looking down at her sympathetically.
("Amara Oneechan?" a much younger Filia had called out once, still too young to
appear as anything but a dragon. "Where are you going? I thought you were visiting
longer.")
("I can't be here anymore, Filia chan. I'm going back to my mother's house.")
(The tiny dragon had looked up and blinked, tears in her eyes. "But why?")
("I thought you were leaving." They turned and saw their father staring at them.)
("I was just saying goodbye to Filia," Amara told him in disgust.)
("I don't want you here," Bazaard Ul Copt told her. "And tell your mother not to
bother sending you here anymore. You'll end up brainwashing Filia like she brainwashed
you." Amara turned to go.)
("Amara Oneechan!" Filia cried. "Don't go!")
("Filia! Go back in the house.")
("But why, Father? What did Amara Oneechan do wrong?")
(The older dragon knelt next to his daughter and tried to explain it the best way he
could to a baby dragon. "Amara's become a bad person, Filia.")
"Am I a bad person, Filia chan?"
"He…He said you…you were brainwashed…He told me you were…"
"I know," Amara whispered. "I'm sorry, Filia. I wanted to be there for you…"
Filia's eyes teared up. Suddenly, she launched herself up into her sister's arms.
"Amara Oneechan!" she cried, sobbing into Amara's dress. The elder dragon held Filia
and let her cry.
Zelas Metallium tapped her cigarette holder against the arm of her throne and
growled. Why did things always have to go wrong for her anyway? First she loses her
chance at the Zarak Trees…
That would have put her over the top. If Xellos had retrieved those, Dynast and
Deep Sea Dolphin would have had no choice but to rally behind her.
Then Xellos goes into heat…
She growled again. Of all the times for him to hit Peak, he had to choose now.
And that DRAGON!! It infuriated her that at desperate times such as these, Xellos, one of
the most powerful Mazoku to terrorize mankind, would choose to plant his seed in some
dragon tart!
What was wrong with HER?! She would have GLADLY offered Xellos a chance
to be her mate!
She growled again.
Males were so Ruby Eye damned stupid…
She stood up. "Well, there's no getting around it," she muttered. "Makato. Jinnar.
STAND UP!"
Two Mazoku appeared before her and bent to one knee. One of them, with short,
messy brown hair, wore a simple grey outfit. The other wore a similar outfit, but more
flamboyantly, adding a black cape and a large, red jewel on his left breast. His hair was
combed neatly, and he wore a condescending grin on his face.
Metallium regarded them both for a few moments. Jinnar's grin widened. He knew
what he was doing here.
"All right, boys!" she began. "You know why you're here. Let's get this done and
over with." She cleared her throat. "One of you is being promoted. I need a new General
Priest, and one of you lucky boys is it! Makato!" The messy haired boy's head shot up.
"Yes, Majesty?"
"'Why I Should Be The New General Priest!' One minute! Go!" Metallium
checked her watch.
"Well…I have some good ideas concerning where to take Mazoku/Ryuuzoku
relations in the next millenium. As you know, we can no longer assume that victory is
certain and…"
"BO-RING!" the more flamboyant boy called out. He pushed Makato to the side
and smiled. "Majesty…If I may?"
"Normally I'd be miffed by your rudeness, however, since I was about to say the
same thing anyway…" She gestured for Jinnar to continue.
Jinnar cleared his throat. "Not only is victory a foregone conclusion, but I have the
ability and the know-how to take us there." He threw his arms wide. "BEHOLD!!!" A
large map appeared behind him in a puff of smoke!
"OOOOOH!!!" Metallium cheered in awe, clapping her hands together.
"You see here the world as we know it," Jinnar continued. "By taking a few key
positions in the continent, and securing the assistance of certain key allies, among them the
Dragon Spooker, we can forge strategic strongholds across the world. Take these areas,
and the rest of the world falls like a house of cards! THE WORLD WILL BE OURS TO
DESTROY AT OUR LEISURE!!! AAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
Metallium clapped enthusiastically. "Well said, Mister Jinnar!!!"
"I still think that a more moderate approach to this situation would…" Makato
began.
"SHUT UP!" Metallium and Jinnar ordered.
Metallium sat back in her throne and hmm'd in thought. "Callisto?"
The black and white feline Mazoku appeared on the arm of her chair. "Yes,
Majesty?"
"You've observed Makato and Jinnar," she said. "Would you say there's a healthy
rivalry there?"
"Oh, most certainly, Majesty."
"Would it compromise us if one were promoted above the other?"
"Possibly."
Metallium thought for a moment. "Very well." She stood up and pointed…
At Makato. The messy-haired boy beamed. Jinnar face faulted.
"Makato, as you know, a conflict within the ranks must be avoided at all costs."
"I agree!" Makato replied enthusiastically.
"Excellent! Give my regards to Phibby!"
"Huh?!"
A blast of darkness shot from Metallium's hand and struck Makato dead on. The
Mazoku screamed as the blast consumed him from the inside out for more than a minute.
When nothing was left, Metallium lowered her hand.
"Jinnar! The job is yours until you screw up or I find someone more capable!"
The newly promoted Mazoku closed his eyes and chuckled quietly. Soon, that
chuckle erupted…
"BWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! HAHA!!
HAHA!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!"
Amara saw Xellos roll onto his side and stood up, placing her book, a copy of the
Amalgamationist Philosophy, on the nightstand and approaching the wounded Mazoku.
"Lord Xellos?" she whispered. "Can you hear me?"
"I'm not dead," he whispered. He sounded just a little surprised.
"We found you outside," Amara explained quietly. "Your staff was broken. Do
you remember?"
Xellos stared up at the ceiling. He remembered it well. Metallium glaring angrily
down at him as ice clutched his entire body, then turning her back on him forever as
darkness fell on him…
"I'm not dead," he repeated, now just confused.
"Of course not. We nursed you back to health," she told him. "You should have
seen Filia," she went on with a smile. "She was so mad at you for scaring her like that."
"Filia…"
"Yes." She put a hand on his forehead and checked her fingers. There was no
more of his essence there. His astral form must have stabilized.
"Miss Amara,"
"Yes, Lord Xellos?"
He continued to stare up at the ceiling. "Kill me." His voice was so soft, so calm,
that for a second just exactly what he had said didn't register in her mind.
"Lord Xellos," she began quietly. "I'm not going to do that. You're going to live."
"This isn't life," he whispered. "Not for me."
"Lord Xellos," Amara tried again. "You've received a wonderful gift! A second
chance!"
"It's not a gift!" he hissed angrily, the very emotion exhausting him.
Amara glared down at him angrily. "It is to Filia." Xellos said nothing. "What
about her?" she hissed. "I was always told that Mazoku give their lives to their mates."
He said nothing.
"Well Filia doesn't WANT you to die!" the dragon went on.
"You don't understand," he whispered. His eyes closed again.
Amara sighed. She turned as a soft knock came from the door. It opened, and Filia
stuck her head inside.
"Dinner's ready," she told her older sister. "Why don't you eat? I'll sit with him."
"Are you sure?" Amara asked. Filia nodded. The older dragon stood up and
walked to the door. "Filia…He's kind of out of it. Don't take anything he says at face
value, okay?"
Filia blinked and nodded before taking a seat in the chair by the nightstand. She
looked over at Xellos as the door closed behind Amara. The Mazoku appeared to be
sleeping peacefully.
She sighed. "You're so inconvenient. You know that, don't you, Namagomi?" she
whispered. There was no answer. Turning, she found the book Amara had been reading
and picked it up. Having nothing better to do, she opened it and began to read.
Jinnar hmm'd as he hefted the staff granted to him by Metallium. An astral
representation of his powers, Jinnar had some say in how it would appear. Unlike some of
the older Mazoku, who preferred the old fashioned look, he had decided to look to the
future a bit. His staff was polished steel with two blue orbs a foot apart in the top portion
of the rod. The head of the staff resembled a key.
He was rather proud of it.
Now that HE was General Priest, he would have to set a few things in order. One,
all mention of his former rival Makato was banned in his presence…for all eternity…
Two, orders were obeyed the second they were given. Metallium was too soft on
her subordinates. That's how that whole Xellos thing had gotten out of hand. No, he was
going to have an iron fist. To Hell with the velvet glove.
And three…He was going to need an assistant.
This last one bothered him. Despite his confidence, General Priest was a daunting
task. However, he knew that any Mazoku elevated to a position near his was a potential
threat. He'd have to choose someone who wasn't interested in Mazoku politics…Someone
who could be trusted to be dense…
He smiled.
"Iffy!" he called out. He waited. "Iffy!"
Still nothing.
"IFFY!!!"
She appeared in a flash of light. "Huh?! What?! What I miss?! What I miss?!"
The dark haired Mazoku girl looked from side to side anxiously, yet cluelessly. The only
color on her mostly black and grey outfit was her red pants and her purple eyes. Pale skin
was the only thing that really made her LOOK like anything ethereal.
"YOU COME IMMEDIATELY WHEN I SUMMON YOU!!" Jinnar screamed.
The girl cringed. "I'm sorry, Lord God General Priest Jinnar!" she whimpered. "I
was sweeping the steps which is REALLY hard because Her Majesty's wolves are
CONSTANTLY shedding, and every time I sweeped one step, a wolf would lie down on
it, and then I'd have to sweep it AGAIN, which was REALLY frustrating because like I
said I had JUST got done sweeping it and…"
"Shut up," Jinnar ordered quietly.
"Oh…Okay," the girl replied.
Jinnar sighed. "All right, Iffy! Listen up!"
Iffy came to attention and saluted smartly.
Jinnar's eyebrow twitched. He took a deep breath. Out of all the middle-
management Mazoku on Wolfpack Island, Iffy was probably the least likely to be a threat.
Unlike the others, she hadn't a shred of ambition. At first, many wondered why she was
even a Mazoku. She was constantly smiling and being a pest. She was so nice, people
couldn't help but get annoyed and thoroughly angry at her…
Which, when you think about it, makes a lot of sense if the one being annoying is a
person who feeds on things like annoyance and rage.
"Listen, Iffy, I'm making you my new assistant. No need to thank me…"
"Wow! Really?!" Iffy asked, clasping her hands in front of her in glee. She started
to bounce up and down.
"STOP THAT!"
"Sorry…"
"All you have to do is…just…do what I tell you! Got it?!"
"Roger dodger, Sir!" Iffy replied, saluting again.
Jinnar growled.
"Um….Sir? What am I supposed to do?"
"A very good question," Jinnar admitted, rubbing his chin with his free hand. He
thought for several minutes, trying to decide the best way to begin his plan for the
destruction of the world.
"I wonder what Lord Xellos would do?" Iffy mused. She snapped her fingers. "I
know! I'll go ask him!"
"Idiot…Xellos is dead."
Iffy blinked. "No he's not. I was talking to Lord Callisto, and he said that Xellos
was still alive."
Jinnar looked at her in shock. "I was told he was gone…"
"Oh, yeah! He's gone!"
"Good…"
"He's just not dead, that's all!" She smiled brightly.
"Xellos…isn't…dead…" Jinnar bit out. Iffy blinked as he began to stalk back and
forth like a cat. Jinnar wasn't like other Mazoku. He had ambitions of his own. Dreams of
accomplishing what Gaav had not filled his head…
Those dreams could quickly become nightmares if a prodigal son like Xellos were
to return at exactly the wrong moment.
He'd have to be dealt with…
"Um…Mister Lord God General Priest Jinnar Sir?" Iffy asked.
"Hmmm hmm hmm hmm…."
"Sir?"
"Hahahaha…."
Iffy sweatdropped.
"BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! HAHAHA!!!
HAHA HAHA HAHA!!!!"
Am I a bad person, Filia chan?
The dragon's eyes snapped open and searched the room around her. Despite the
voice in her head, she could see plainly that Xellos was still unconscious in bed. She took
a breath and blinked the sleep out of her eyes. What time was it?
The sun was going down outside the window. She stood up and placed the book on
the nightstand again. The Amalgamationists had some very interesting, if totally naïve,
ideas. She'd have to try to finish the book…Without Amara knowing, of course. If she
displayed the slightest interest, her older sister would go into full blown "Recruit" mode
and attempt to bring Filia into the folds of her cult…er…movement.
She stepped over to Xellos' bedside and looked down at him. It was hard to tell if
he was any better. It wasn't as if he had normal vital signs that they could check. He
just…existed.
Reaching out, she paused only an inch from touching his forehead. She had seen
Amara do this, so maybe it would give her some indication as to how he was doing.
Maybe he had a fever or was clammy…
This was ridiculous. There was no reason at all not to check on his condition. She
reached out and placed her palm on his forehead.
Nothing. Neither hot nor cold. Just…there.
She sighed. (See? That wasn't so hard.) The dragon started to pull her hand away,
then found she couldn't. Blinking and looking down, she saw Xellos' hand around her
wrist.
The dragon took a relieved breath. "Xellos," she whispered. "You scared me."
He didn't reply. That's when she noticed that his eyes were still closed. He rolled
over onto his side and pulled her hand closer to his face.
Filia sweatdropped and tried to free her hand without overly disturbing the
sleeping Mazoku. Despite his apparent weakness, she found his grip to be vice-like.
"Namagomi," she growled softly. "Let go of me." She could feel his breath
grazing her fingers as he slept. "Let go! I mean it!" She tried pulling harder, but she was
simply stuck.
Growling, she pulled her mace with her other hand and raised it over her head.
She'd break his grip AND his hand if she had to. Gritting her teeth, she prepared to bring
the mace down.
"Filia…chan…" he mumbled sleepily.
The dragon's expression softened. She lowered her mace and sighed.
"Dammit," she muttered.
Giving up, she reached out with her mace and snagged the chair she had been sitting
in, pulling it to her and sitting down. The Mazoku's grip on her hand hadn't weakened in
the slightest. She sighed again and rested her chin in her hand.
"This doesn't mean I care," she told him. "It just means I don't want Amara
Oneechan yelling at me for bashing your namagomi skull in."
After five minutes without his grip weakening, she decided to give up and settle in
for a long wait. Reaching out with her mace, she pulled the book she had been reading
back to her, opened it with one hand, and started to read.
"Seyruun," Scarrin growled as he looked through the small field-scope at the city
in the distance. "Wonderful. It would take an army to get them out of there, and from the
looks of things, they're going to get there before we can intercept."
"Perhaps the Mazoku could help," Zero suggested, the bandage over his eye
replaced by a red patch.
Scarrin shook his head. "There's something going on on Wolfpack Island," he
muttered. "Something's changed. Best not to ask for a favor until the dust settles." He
growled. "Shit!"
"Why not just go in and get them?" Gandrav asked.
The yellow-eyed man turned to the wolf and grimaced. "We're not talking about
storming a back-country inn. Seyruun is one of the most heavily fortified areas on the
continent. The chimera knows us now. They have the advantage. We'll just have to wait
for them to come out."
"Maybe we don't."
The three of them turned to the woman looking out at the city. "Greysword?"
Scarrin prompted.
She turned to them. "WE can't go in there and get them…But someone else could."
"Berserkers wouldn't last ten minutes…" Zero began.
"Not berserkers," Greysword continued. She thought for a moment. "I think I have
an idea. If I may?" she asked Scarrin. The yellow eyed man nodded, and the
swordswoman started for a horse. "It may take some time to arrange things. I'll be back as
soon as I can and meet you at Yet, near the outskirts of Seyruun."
"Where are you going?" Gandrav asked.
Greysword smiled. "To find someone who CAN go in there." With that, she
started off.
To Be Continued…
Author's Notes:
Jinnar and Iffy… Some of you cheered, and the rest need an explanation. ^_^ Yes, they
ARE based on Jinnai and Ifurita from El Hazard: The Wanderers. Think of Jinnar and Iffy
as guest stars. If you haven't seen El Hazard and El Hazard: The Wanderers, you need to.
It's one of the best animes out there, and characters like Jinnai and Ifurita are why.
NAGA: WHEW! What a night, huh?!
SHADOW LINA: Yeah, but it's over and I'm off to buy a new dress! Later!……
Hey…That drunk in the street looks awfully familiar….MISTER XELLOS?!
Faces: After!
Part 17
Xellos!
A Broken Man Still Bleeds.
"Oh you have GOT to be kidding me!" Naga complained as she thumbed through
the Claire Bible manuscript.
"What is it, Miss Naga?" Shadow Lina asked, sitting across from the sorceress at
the breakfast table.
"Listen to this," the White Serpent ordered, placing her finger at the beginning of a
paragraph and reading. "'Once the first, second, and third parts of the spell are cast, the
caster must place the magical conductor, until this point held in his hand, INTO the target
directly, using his own strength and faith in Cepheid to hold it in place as he chants the
final words of the spell, bringing down Cepheid's wrath upon the target and His blessing
upon the caster.'"
"So?" the shadow asked.
"'So?!'" Naga repeated. "From the sound of it, this book expects me to bring
down something as powerful as the Dragon Slave and shoot MYSELF with it as well as
whatever I want to destroy! It's a suicide attack!"
"That sounds bad," Shadow Lina agreed.
Naga sighed in frustration. "Yes…Very bad…Crap!"
"Miss Naga, is it okay if I go into town for awhile?" the shadow asked suddenly.
"What for?"
Shadow Lina blushed. "I wanna buy a new dress for when Jeffrey takes me out."
Naga snorted. "You really are Lina's opposite, you know that? The real Lina
would never be caught dead in a dress…"
Meanwhile…
Lina Inverse growled in pain as she walked. How did other women do this?! If
she wasn't tripping over her own skirt, she was coming within an inch of breaking her
ankle on these DAMN SHOES!
"Oi, Lina?" Gourry asked, walking up beside her. "Are you okay?"
"NO, I'M NOT OKA…" The sorceress broke off, took a deep breath, and…
Sniffled.
"No, Gourry dear," she whimpered. "These shoes are so MEAN!"
The blond man blinked. "Why don't you just put on your boots?"
Lina growled low in her throat. "Because…proper…young….LADIES…do
NOT…wear…BOOTS!"
Gourry blinked again. "Sylphiel wears boots."
The redhead stopped walking, her eye twitching.
"Lina?"
A soft growl was rumbling in the redhead's throat.
"Oi? Lina?"
"Never…mind….Gourry…dear…" she bit out before setting out again.
Gourry just scratched his head and watched her go.
"Well…" Shadow Lina drawled out, "I guess that means I'm SUPPOSED to have
dresses and stuff!"
Naga stared at her for a good minute. Then, "Get out of my sight."
"Miss Naga?"
"LEAVE ME!"
Shadow Lina cringed a bit, then ran from the inn into the street. This was going to
be fun! She loved shopping for dresses! They were so pretty and frilly and colorful and…
She stopped. There was something very wrong. Her head shot from side to side,
searching for the source of the disturbance. Without really knowing why, she turned and
started down an alley.
"Hello?" she called out. "Is there someone here?" She paused as her foot struck
something on the ground. She knelt down and picked up the object. The gem in Xellos'
staff, now dark black and dull, stared back at her from its place atop the broken staff.
"Mister Xellos?" she called out. "Are you out here?"
She stood up and took a few more steps down the alley. Suddenly, she gasped and
rushed forward.
"Mister Xellos!"
The priest's body was lying in a puddle of water. His black cloak was worn and
pale, as if it had been sitting out in the elements for a thousand years. Streaks of grey ran
through his hair.
The shadow rolled the Mazoku onto his back and bit her nails anxiously. What was
she supposed to do? Xellos' face was pale and gaunt. His eyes were closed. Was he
even alive?!
"Mister Xellos?" she asked, giving him a gentle nudge with her hand. "Mister
Xellos? Wake up. Please?" She bit her lip then suddenly set her jaw and nodded.
Grabbing him by both hands, she started to drag him back towards the street. "Hang on,
Mister Xellos!" she ordered.
Two blondes sat the breakfast table, neither one willing to look the other in the eye.
Naga, meanwhile, was still thumbing through the Claire Bible manuscript, searching for the
warrantee.
"What can I get you ladies?" the waiter asked.
"Tea."
"Coffee."
The waiter disappeared, leaving the dragons relatively alone again. The silence
was deafening. Neither one spoke for several minutes, refusing to even look at one
another. Finally…
"Amara…"
"Filia…"
They paused.
"About what you saw last night…"
"No, Filia, please. Let me." Amara took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "It is
not my place to pass judgement on how you conduct your relationship with Lord Xellos…"
"That's kind of you to say, but…"
"BUT WHY HAVEN'T YOU BEDDED HIM?!" Amara suddenly cried.
Every head in the restaurant turned to Filia. The golden dragon turned beet red and
started to sweat. She turned and angry glare on her sister. "Amara!"
The older dragon wouldn't hear it. "Filia! He's….Can't you…" She sighed and
shook her head.
"I have no interest at all in that…that…NAMAGOMI!"
From across the table, Naga snorted.
"What's THAT supposed to mean?!" Filia asked the sorceress harshly.
"Deus ex Machina," Naga began, "You can say whatever you like, but the fact of
the matter is, that passion pill Lina chan gave you turned you into jelly every time you
heard his voice."
"That…That doesn't mean anything!" Filia defended.
"Passion pill?" Amara asked.
Naga grinned. "It means more than you think, child. Passion pills only work on
pre-existing attraction." She stood up and put her grinning face an inch from Filia's. "That
means there's a REASON you went after Xellos, and not Jeffrey or any other man in Atlas
City."
Filia growled. "I'm going to say this just once," she said deathly quiet. "I am not
attracted to Xellos in any way…shape…or form."
"I'm confused," Amara admitted. "I thought you and he were to be married."
The younger dragon sighed. "Amara, I only said that to keep YOU away from him!
He's a dangerous, EVIL man!"
"I don't believe that for a minute," Amara told her.
"Then you're a fool!" Filia cried. "There isn't a single good thing about him! Not
one redeeming quality! You give him FAR too much credit!"
"Didn't he help you save the world?" Amara asked in a whisper.
Filia was halted dead in her tracks. "I hate him," she whispered.
"So?" Naga asked with a shrug. She grinned evilly. "They say hate sex is the best
sex."
"If you hate him so much, then why are you even here?!" Amara asked bitterly.
"Because Little Val needs…"
"Oh, please, Filia!" Amara snapped. "You're not THAT naïve!" Filia blinked.
"Are you telling me the Kataart dragons would have turned him away? That the LAST
Ancient Dragon would've been tossed aside to fend for himself!" Filia took a step back,
and Amara advanced. "Why do you use your mace, Filia, when you KNOW you'll never
be able to hit him with it?"
Naga arched an eyebrow at this and waited for Filia to answer.
"Why not use one of your spells to destroy him?" Amara continued. "If he is so
intolerable, then why do you tolerate him?!"
Filia gulped. "I…I…"
"Somebody help me!"
The three of them turned to find Shadow Lina dragging something inside through the
doorway. Amara gasped.
"Lord Xellos!"
"I found him in the street!" Shadow Lina explained as she dragged the unmoving
form inside. "I can't tell if he's alive or not!"
"Let's get him upstairs, quickly!" Amara ordered. They each took a limb and
started up the stairs. As they cleared the stairwell and started down the hall, they ran into
Jeffrey.
"Hey, what's going on?" he asked.
"Mister Xellos is sick!" Shadow Lina whined.
"Okay, everyone! This way!" Amara ordered, holding onto Xellos' left arm.
"Um…Which room is his?"
"He doesn't have one," Naga explained, holding onto the Mazoku's right leg.
"He doesn't?" Shadow Lina asked, holding onto the left leg. "I just thought he
went to bed really late and just woke up really early…"
"We'll put him in Filia's room!" Amara told them. She started pulling the priest
down towards her sister's room.
"Wait just a second!" Filia cried, Xellos' right arm in her hands. "Why MY
room?!"
"Because he's YOUR fiancé!" Amara growled.
"I just got done telling you…"
"Hey, could we have this spat later?!" Naga interjected. "He's heavy, you know!"
"Actually," Shadow Lina whispered. "I think he's lighter than he was before…"
Amara took a sharp breath and started pulling them down the hall. "Come on!" she
urged.
Despite Filia's protests, they did carrying him into the younger dragon's room and
deposited him on her bed. Amara tucked him in and felt his forehead. Pulling her hand
away, she looked at it and blinked.
There was a faint glowing mist of black on her hand. She gasped and started
rolling up her sleeves. "Miss Lina," she began, "Bring me bandages, hot water, and ask the
inn keeper for a bottle of brandy."
The redhead ran from the room in search of the articles.
"What's happening to him?" Filia asked her sister quietly.
"He's…" She shook her head. "I don't know. I don't have a word for it. It's like
his astral form is melting away."
"And you think bandages are going to fix that?" Naga asked.
"The bandages aren't for him," Amara told her matter-of-factly.
The shadow returned a moment later carrying everything Amara had told her to
bring. "I also asked Mister Inn Keeper to make some chicken soup. Luna Oneechan
always made me chicken soup when I was sick. I thought it might help."
"I'm afraid chicken soup won't be enough," Amara whispered. "Not in this case."
She turned to the lanky boy standing behind her. "Mister Jeffrey, may I have your dagger
please?"
Jeffrey blinked, but handed the dragon the small knife.
"Are you going to operate, Miss Dragon Lady?" Shadow Lina asked worriedly.
"No," Amara said quietly, "I'm going to give him the Mazoku version of chicken
soup." She held her left palm out in front of her, took a deep breath, and slowly cut into
her flesh with the knife. The dragon maiden winced and grit her teeth in pain.
"Amara!" Filia cried, grabbing her sister's arm and pulling the knife away. "What
do you think you're doing?!"
She broke off as the Mazoku on the bed took a deep breath. Filia blinked.
"Mazoku feed on things like pain," Amara explained, nursing her wounded hand.
"He's wasting away. If we don't get him what he needs soon, he's going to die."
There was silence for a moment.
Amara picked up the knife again and prepared to make another cut in her hand.
Before she could, however, the blade was plucked from her hand. Naga stood over her
and brandished her palm. "The more he gets, the better, right?" she asked. Amara only
nodded. "Hmmph," Naga sniffed. "Never let it be said that Naga the White Serpent is an
uncaring employer!" With that, the sorceress cut into her palm and let the blood dribble
down her arm.
Lying on the bed, Xellos' head rolled to one side, and a soft whimper escaped from
his lips.
Naga saw the blood on her hand and shut her eyes, her face turning pale.
"Blood…I hate blood…" Shadow Lina took some of the bandages and started to wrap up
her employer's hand. Naga looked to the other three Flaming Heroes. "Well?" she asked
expectantly.
Shadow Lina looked scared, but Jeffrey stepped forward. "Any knight would
gladly accept pain to help a fallen comrade!" he announced. "And now, I shall…" Before
he could finish, however, Naga had taken his hand and made a quick cut in it. "OWIE!!!"
Jeffrey screamed, holding his hand. "That really hurt!" Tears were threatening to flow
down his face. "Owieowieowieowie!" he whimpered.
"Poor Lord Jeffrey," Shadow Lina sniffed as she helped bandage his hand. She
turned and found Naga holding the knife out to her. "Me?!" she squeaked.
"You have to," Naga told her.
"Why?!" the shadow whimpered. "It'll hurt!"
"Don't you want to help Xellos?" Naga asked her.
"Well…yeah, but…" The shadow looked miserable. She sighed. "Would the
original Lina do this to help him?"
"HA!" Naga laughed. "By now Lina would have stabbed ME again so SHE
wouldn't have to!"
The shadow sighed again and took the knife. "Fine…" She cringed and whined for
a bit, the slowly put the tip of the knife to her palm.
"Wait!"
They all looked up to see Jeffrey walking towards her. He took the knife from
Shadow Lina and raised his other hand.
"If it means Lina doesn't have to do it…I'll do myself again…" He placed the tip
of the knife on his palm.
"Lord Jeffrey! You mustn't!" Shadow Lina squeaked.
Jeffrey posed. "If it means sparing you pain, Lina, I'm willing to…" Before he
cold finish, Naga leaned over and smacked the hilt of the knife with her hand, forcing the
tip into the boy's hand. "OOOOWWWWWW!!!!!!" he screamed, holding his newly
wounded hand. "OWIEOWIEOWIEOWIE!!!" He started dancing around the room,
blowing on the cut.
"Lord Jeffrey!" the shadow cried, grabbing some bandages and the bottle of brandy
to disinfect it.
Xellos whimpered again in his sleep.
The others turned to Filia.
"Filia," Amara began, "I know what you're going to say, but…" Filia cut her off
however by taking the knife, wrapping her hand around it, and quickly slicing her palm
open. She winced and shut her eyes, a small whimper of pain escaping her lips.
"Well?" Naga asked Amara as she leaned over the priest.
"I think it's going to take more than that," Amara whispered.
"Well, I like him too, but we can't keep stabbing each other!" Naga complained.
Suddenly, there was laughter.
They turned and found Filia laughing as she bandaged her hand. "How stupid can
we get?" she asked.
"Huh?" Shadow Lina asked.
"HE'S FAKING!" Filia screamed. "Don't you see?! This…This is just another of
his stupid pranks!" She pointed at the body on the bed. "Any second now he's going to
jump up and yell, 'SURPRISE!' and laugh at how stupid we are!"
"Filia," Amara whispered.
"We're being conned!" the dragon continued. "Just like always!"
"I don't think…" Shadow Lina began.
As the words were leaving the shadow's mouth, Filia charged forward and grabbed
the Mazoku by the front of his robes. "WAKE UP!" she screamed as Amara and Naga
grabbed a hold of her robes. "STOP PLAYING AROUND! OPEN YOUR EYES,
DAMMIT!" She reached back, then slapped the priest across the face with her wounded
hand. Tears of pain formed in her eyes from the hot sting in her hand.
"Filia! Stop it!" Amara cried, pulling on the dragon. Filia shrugged her off, her
mind on one task.
"Miss Dragon Lady! Please!"
"WAKE UP! I'M NOT FALLING FOR IT THIS TIME, NAMAGOMI!" She
reached back and slapped him again. She cried out as shockwaves of pain ran through her
hand. "OPEN YOUR DAMN EYES AND SAY SOMETHING!"
Another slap, and another cry of pain.
"YOU STUPID, FILTHY, DISGUSTING, SLEAZY, LECHEROUS, BLACK-
HEARTED, PERVERTED, WEAKLING, NAMAGOOOOMMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!"
Another slap.
Suddenly, Xellos gasped and took a deep breath, gulping for air. Filia blinked in
shock. She felt Amara pull her bodily away and saw her lean over the Mazoku.
"Well I'll be damned!" Naga exclaimed. "Now THAT'S tough love!"
It seemed to take all his strength merely to open his eyes, but he did it. Narrow
slits hinting at purple eyes were barely perceived as open at all. His vision was still fuzzy,
and most of the information about his surroundings came from his hearing or, in one
dragon's case, his sense of smell.
Filia was in the room. He could sense her pheromones and that perfume she wore.
She was nearby.
What had happened?
Wait…He remembered.
Metallium had cast him out, taken away his rights as a Mazoku, and left him to die
in the street. He was no longer Xellos Metallium, vassal of the Lord Beastmaster
Metallium, General Priest of the Grand Army of Wolfpack Island…
He was Xellos No Name, a Mazoku who was no longer a Mazoku.
He was nothing.
Less than nothing.
The nothing felt someone touch his face. He turned his head and saw a blonde
woman looking down at him. Squinting, he tried to make out her face. He couldn't speak
yet, and instead mouthed the word, "Filia?"
"No, Lord Xellos," Amara whispered. "It's me. Amara."
"Is he talking?" he heard Shadow Lina ask.
Nothing.
Less than nothing.
He began mouthing the words over and over again.
Nothing….Less than nothing…
Amara placed her ear near his lips, listening. From the faint sounds made by his
moving lips as he breathed, she could just make it out.
"What is he saying?" Filia asked.
Amara strained to listen as the words from the Mazoku's mouth changed suddenly.
Kill me.
The older dragon pulled away from the Mazoku and blinked. "He…um…Says
thank you," she lied. Standing up, she turned to the others. "He should have some rest
now."
"But what if he still needs more bad feelings?" Jeffrey asked.
"No problem," Naga announced. "Jeffrey, come here." The boy eyed the knife
warily. "Oh, relax! I'm not going to cut you again! Just come here!" Jeffrey cluelessly
smiled and stepped forward.
Naga placed her left hand on his shoulder, balled her right hand into a fist, and
punched Jeffrey in the stomach. The boy gasped in pain and fell to one knee.
"Lord Jeffrey!" Shadow Lina cried.
"That oughta do it!" Naga announced, clapping her hands off. "Who wants lunch?"
"I found this lying nearby," Shadow Lina commented as she placed the top half of
Xellos' staff on the lunch table. "I guess someone broke it, huh?"
Amara reached out and took the staff, examining the dark orb that sat at the top.
Things were beginning to make more sense now…
"So," Naga begins, a finger at her lips in thought. "Xellos is walking down the
street, minding his own business, when someone…" She thought for several moments.
"Sneaks up behind him and hits him on the back of the head with a shovel?" She shrugged.
"I don't know, Miss Naga," Jeffrey said, "Mister Xellos is a pretty skilled
warrior. I can't see that happening." Shadow Lina nodded in agreement.
"Maybe he was mugged," Shadow Lina suggested.
"No," Amara said. "This is more serious than that. His staff was broken."
"So?" Naga asked. "Maybe he cracked it over one of the muggers' heads."
The dragon shook her head. "A Mazoku staff isn't a piece of wood and jewelry.
It's an astral representation of the power his overlord bestows on him." She hefted the
piece of wood. "This," she went on, "This held the accumulated power of more than a
thousand years." She turned to Naga. "YOU couldn't break this staff."
"Then who could?" Jeffrey asked.
"The Ruby Eye," she answered. "Easily. The Lord of Nightmares….Perhaps one
of the higher level Shinzoku…" She broke off. "His overlord," she whispered.
"Metallium," a whisper came from the other side of the table. They turned and
saw Filia staring into a teacup. "Metallium did it."
"You mean Mister Xellos' boss did it?!" Shadow Lina asked.
"How can you be so sure?" Naga asked.
In answer, Filia stood up and walked away from the table, up the stairs.
"Miss Amara," Shadow Lina began, "What does all this mean?"
("Nothing…Less than nothing…") The Mazoku's words came back to the dragon.
"It means, Miss Lina," she said, "That Lord Xellos is no longer a Mazoku."
Filia's hand rested on the doorknob for a second, then pulled away. What reason
did SHE have to go in there? It was his problem. And it was exactly what he deserved!
So why was she going in there?
Oh, yes, of course. It was HER room. All her clothes were in there.
So why was she pausing?
Why shouldn't she pause?! There was a lecherous, filthy namagomi in her room!
But he was weak…vulnerable.
Her hand rested on the knob again.
He was resting. She should get her things later.
Her hand came away from the doorknob again.
"Why don't you sit with him for awhile?"
She turned and saw Amara standing near the stairs. The elder sister started
towards her.
"I'm sure it would help," she coaxed.
"I'm just getting my things," Filia sniffed.
"Why are you so ashamed of liking him?" Amara asked her in genuine puzzlement.
"I DON'T like him," Filia growled. "He's trash! I just want to get my things and
move to another room!"
Amara scowled at her. "You…bitch!" Filia looked at her in shock. "Have you no
pity at all!?" Amara hissed at her. "You claim to be better than they are! You're a
priestess! Aren't priestesses supposed to show comfort and mercy to those near death!?"
Filia grimaced. "He's a Mazoku! Nothing more than that! He's killed our kind!
He's tried to kill ME!"
"And you tried to kill him, right?!"
"Yes! And I'd do it again!"
Amara reached out and pushed the door open. Xellos was unconscious on Filia's
bed. "Go for it!"
"Wha…What are you talking about?!"
"Time to put up or shut up, Filia!" Amara told her. "There he is! Your worst
enemy! Weakened! Vulnerable! Go ahead! Finish the job! Kill him!"
"It's what he deserves!" Filia countered.
"Then do it!"
"Don't tempt me!"
"I'm not tempting you, Filia! I'm TELLING you straight out!"
Filia turned to the wounded Mazoku, closed her eyes, and raised her hands.
Amara blinked in shock. "Manaku….Soromu…" Holy energy began to charge in her
hands. She opened an eye and looked at Amara, who had her arms folded over her chest,
waiting. "…Zanaku…" More energy spun around her hands, waiting to be hurled at a
target.
Amara continued to wait.
"…Sakurimu…"
She pointed her hands at Xellos, broken and in no position to defend himself from
Filia's spell.
Amara waited.
Filia bit her lip, the energy swirling around her. All that was left was the action
words…
"Well?" Amara demanded.
"I'll do it," Filia threatened. "Still think I love Xellos?"
"I never said you 'loved' him, Filia," Amara bit out.
"I don't! I can't!" Filia growled.
"Then what are you waiting for?"
Filia closed her eyes, shaking. She opened them a second later and lashed out with
her hands into the bedroom.
"CHAOTIC DISINTEGRATE!"
Shadow Lina hummed at the table as she pulled her new dress out of the box and
admired it. Emerald green with a cute little bow on the left shoulder that…
An explosion from outside interrupted her thoughts. She turned and looked out he
window as the top half of a tree hit the ground outside.
She smiled and turned back to her dress. "Maybe Mister Xellos is feeling better!"
The tree that had been standing outside the window was no more, but the Mazoku
was still lying in the bed, the drapes from the window above him slightly singed from the
spell that had gone right over him.
"You missed," Amara commented dryly.
Filia fell to her knees in the doorway, sobbing. "Why are you doing this to me?"
she asked her sister. She felt Amara kneel down next to her.
"Because, Filia," she whispered. "I know. I know how you were raised. I lived
in that same house, remember? I look at you and I can practically HEAR Father
screaming."
"Father…was a good dragon," Filia whispered. "A good priest…"
"But he tolerated NOTHING, Filia!" Amara hissed. "To him, humans were merely
a type of infestation! Black Dragons were merely an 'impure race,' and the Mazoku….If
half the things he told us about them were true, Ruby Eye himself would hang his head in
shame and beg forgiveness!" She took her sister by the shoulders and looked into her eyes.
"So I know," she went on. "I know…that you care for Xellos…Maybe it's not love. But
you DO care…And because of that…you feel so ASHAMED…"
Tears were running down Filia's face. She tried to look away from her sister, but
Amara held her fast. "I…I can't…" Filia sobbed.
"Why?" Amara asked. "Because of Father?! You can't hate someone because of
what someone else thinks!"
"What would he say?" Filia whispered mournfully. "If he knew? If he knew I
had…fused my power…with Xellos'…What would he say?"
Amara shook her gently. "It doesn't matter what he'd say!" She sighed.
"Filia…You're a priestess. A good one! Better than Father because you can do something
he never could! You can FEEL for a Mazoku. Don't hide that strength!"
"It's not a strength!" Filia cried, shutting her eyes and putting her face in her hands.
"It's not! It's a show of weakness! Of impurity! It makes me…It makes me…"
"Like me?"
Filia looked up at her sister's kind face, looking down at her sympathetically.
("Amara Oneechan?" a much younger Filia had called out once, still too young to
appear as anything but a dragon. "Where are you going? I thought you were visiting
longer.")
("I can't be here anymore, Filia chan. I'm going back to my mother's house.")
(The tiny dragon had looked up and blinked, tears in her eyes. "But why?")
("I thought you were leaving." They turned and saw their father staring at them.)
("I was just saying goodbye to Filia," Amara told him in disgust.)
("I don't want you here," Bazaard Ul Copt told her. "And tell your mother not to
bother sending you here anymore. You'll end up brainwashing Filia like she brainwashed
you." Amara turned to go.)
("Amara Oneechan!" Filia cried. "Don't go!")
("Filia! Go back in the house.")
("But why, Father? What did Amara Oneechan do wrong?")
(The older dragon knelt next to his daughter and tried to explain it the best way he
could to a baby dragon. "Amara's become a bad person, Filia.")
"Am I a bad person, Filia chan?"
"He…He said you…you were brainwashed…He told me you were…"
"I know," Amara whispered. "I'm sorry, Filia. I wanted to be there for you…"
Filia's eyes teared up. Suddenly, she launched herself up into her sister's arms.
"Amara Oneechan!" she cried, sobbing into Amara's dress. The elder dragon held Filia
and let her cry.
Zelas Metallium tapped her cigarette holder against the arm of her throne and
growled. Why did things always have to go wrong for her anyway? First she loses her
chance at the Zarak Trees…
That would have put her over the top. If Xellos had retrieved those, Dynast and
Deep Sea Dolphin would have had no choice but to rally behind her.
Then Xellos goes into heat…
She growled again. Of all the times for him to hit Peak, he had to choose now.
And that DRAGON!! It infuriated her that at desperate times such as these, Xellos, one of
the most powerful Mazoku to terrorize mankind, would choose to plant his seed in some
dragon tart!
What was wrong with HER?! She would have GLADLY offered Xellos a chance
to be her mate!
She growled again.
Males were so Ruby Eye damned stupid…
She stood up. "Well, there's no getting around it," she muttered. "Makato. Jinnar.
STAND UP!"
Two Mazoku appeared before her and bent to one knee. One of them, with short,
messy brown hair, wore a simple grey outfit. The other wore a similar outfit, but more
flamboyantly, adding a black cape and a large, red jewel on his left breast. His hair was
combed neatly, and he wore a condescending grin on his face.
Metallium regarded them both for a few moments. Jinnar's grin widened. He knew
what he was doing here.
"All right, boys!" she began. "You know why you're here. Let's get this done and
over with." She cleared her throat. "One of you is being promoted. I need a new General
Priest, and one of you lucky boys is it! Makato!" The messy haired boy's head shot up.
"Yes, Majesty?"
"'Why I Should Be The New General Priest!' One minute! Go!" Metallium
checked her watch.
"Well…I have some good ideas concerning where to take Mazoku/Ryuuzoku
relations in the next millenium. As you know, we can no longer assume that victory is
certain and…"
"BO-RING!" the more flamboyant boy called out. He pushed Makato to the side
and smiled. "Majesty…If I may?"
"Normally I'd be miffed by your rudeness, however, since I was about to say the
same thing anyway…" She gestured for Jinnar to continue.
Jinnar cleared his throat. "Not only is victory a foregone conclusion, but I have the
ability and the know-how to take us there." He threw his arms wide. "BEHOLD!!!" A
large map appeared behind him in a puff of smoke!
"OOOOOH!!!" Metallium cheered in awe, clapping her hands together.
"You see here the world as we know it," Jinnar continued. "By taking a few key
positions in the continent, and securing the assistance of certain key allies, among them the
Dragon Spooker, we can forge strategic strongholds across the world. Take these areas,
and the rest of the world falls like a house of cards! THE WORLD WILL BE OURS TO
DESTROY AT OUR LEISURE!!! AAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
Metallium clapped enthusiastically. "Well said, Mister Jinnar!!!"
"I still think that a more moderate approach to this situation would…" Makato
began.
"SHUT UP!" Metallium and Jinnar ordered.
Metallium sat back in her throne and hmm'd in thought. "Callisto?"
The black and white feline Mazoku appeared on the arm of her chair. "Yes,
Majesty?"
"You've observed Makato and Jinnar," she said. "Would you say there's a healthy
rivalry there?"
"Oh, most certainly, Majesty."
"Would it compromise us if one were promoted above the other?"
"Possibly."
Metallium thought for a moment. "Very well." She stood up and pointed…
At Makato. The messy-haired boy beamed. Jinnar face faulted.
"Makato, as you know, a conflict within the ranks must be avoided at all costs."
"I agree!" Makato replied enthusiastically.
"Excellent! Give my regards to Phibby!"
"Huh?!"
A blast of darkness shot from Metallium's hand and struck Makato dead on. The
Mazoku screamed as the blast consumed him from the inside out for more than a minute.
When nothing was left, Metallium lowered her hand.
"Jinnar! The job is yours until you screw up or I find someone more capable!"
The newly promoted Mazoku closed his eyes and chuckled quietly. Soon, that
chuckle erupted…
"BWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! HAHA!!
HAHA!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!"
Amara saw Xellos roll onto his side and stood up, placing her book, a copy of the
Amalgamationist Philosophy, on the nightstand and approaching the wounded Mazoku.
"Lord Xellos?" she whispered. "Can you hear me?"
"I'm not dead," he whispered. He sounded just a little surprised.
"We found you outside," Amara explained quietly. "Your staff was broken. Do
you remember?"
Xellos stared up at the ceiling. He remembered it well. Metallium glaring angrily
down at him as ice clutched his entire body, then turning her back on him forever as
darkness fell on him…
"I'm not dead," he repeated, now just confused.
"Of course not. We nursed you back to health," she told him. "You should have
seen Filia," she went on with a smile. "She was so mad at you for scaring her like that."
"Filia…"
"Yes." She put a hand on his forehead and checked her fingers. There was no
more of his essence there. His astral form must have stabilized.
"Miss Amara,"
"Yes, Lord Xellos?"
He continued to stare up at the ceiling. "Kill me." His voice was so soft, so calm,
that for a second just exactly what he had said didn't register in her mind.
"Lord Xellos," she began quietly. "I'm not going to do that. You're going to live."
"This isn't life," he whispered. "Not for me."
"Lord Xellos," Amara tried again. "You've received a wonderful gift! A second
chance!"
"It's not a gift!" he hissed angrily, the very emotion exhausting him.
Amara glared down at him angrily. "It is to Filia." Xellos said nothing. "What
about her?" she hissed. "I was always told that Mazoku give their lives to their mates."
He said nothing.
"Well Filia doesn't WANT you to die!" the dragon went on.
"You don't understand," he whispered. His eyes closed again.
Amara sighed. She turned as a soft knock came from the door. It opened, and Filia
stuck her head inside.
"Dinner's ready," she told her older sister. "Why don't you eat? I'll sit with him."
"Are you sure?" Amara asked. Filia nodded. The older dragon stood up and
walked to the door. "Filia…He's kind of out of it. Don't take anything he says at face
value, okay?"
Filia blinked and nodded before taking a seat in the chair by the nightstand. She
looked over at Xellos as the door closed behind Amara. The Mazoku appeared to be
sleeping peacefully.
She sighed. "You're so inconvenient. You know that, don't you, Namagomi?" she
whispered. There was no answer. Turning, she found the book Amara had been reading
and picked it up. Having nothing better to do, she opened it and began to read.
Jinnar hmm'd as he hefted the staff granted to him by Metallium. An astral
representation of his powers, Jinnar had some say in how it would appear. Unlike some of
the older Mazoku, who preferred the old fashioned look, he had decided to look to the
future a bit. His staff was polished steel with two blue orbs a foot apart in the top portion
of the rod. The head of the staff resembled a key.
He was rather proud of it.
Now that HE was General Priest, he would have to set a few things in order. One,
all mention of his former rival Makato was banned in his presence…for all eternity…
Two, orders were obeyed the second they were given. Metallium was too soft on
her subordinates. That's how that whole Xellos thing had gotten out of hand. No, he was
going to have an iron fist. To Hell with the velvet glove.
And three…He was going to need an assistant.
This last one bothered him. Despite his confidence, General Priest was a daunting
task. However, he knew that any Mazoku elevated to a position near his was a potential
threat. He'd have to choose someone who wasn't interested in Mazoku politics…Someone
who could be trusted to be dense…
He smiled.
"Iffy!" he called out. He waited. "Iffy!"
Still nothing.
"IFFY!!!"
She appeared in a flash of light. "Huh?! What?! What I miss?! What I miss?!"
The dark haired Mazoku girl looked from side to side anxiously, yet cluelessly. The only
color on her mostly black and grey outfit was her red pants and her purple eyes. Pale skin
was the only thing that really made her LOOK like anything ethereal.
"YOU COME IMMEDIATELY WHEN I SUMMON YOU!!" Jinnar screamed.
The girl cringed. "I'm sorry, Lord God General Priest Jinnar!" she whimpered. "I
was sweeping the steps which is REALLY hard because Her Majesty's wolves are
CONSTANTLY shedding, and every time I sweeped one step, a wolf would lie down on
it, and then I'd have to sweep it AGAIN, which was REALLY frustrating because like I
said I had JUST got done sweeping it and…"
"Shut up," Jinnar ordered quietly.
"Oh…Okay," the girl replied.
Jinnar sighed. "All right, Iffy! Listen up!"
Iffy came to attention and saluted smartly.
Jinnar's eyebrow twitched. He took a deep breath. Out of all the middle-
management Mazoku on Wolfpack Island, Iffy was probably the least likely to be a threat.
Unlike the others, she hadn't a shred of ambition. At first, many wondered why she was
even a Mazoku. She was constantly smiling and being a pest. She was so nice, people
couldn't help but get annoyed and thoroughly angry at her…
Which, when you think about it, makes a lot of sense if the one being annoying is a
person who feeds on things like annoyance and rage.
"Listen, Iffy, I'm making you my new assistant. No need to thank me…"
"Wow! Really?!" Iffy asked, clasping her hands in front of her in glee. She started
to bounce up and down.
"STOP THAT!"
"Sorry…"
"All you have to do is…just…do what I tell you! Got it?!"
"Roger dodger, Sir!" Iffy replied, saluting again.
Jinnar growled.
"Um….Sir? What am I supposed to do?"
"A very good question," Jinnar admitted, rubbing his chin with his free hand. He
thought for several minutes, trying to decide the best way to begin his plan for the
destruction of the world.
"I wonder what Lord Xellos would do?" Iffy mused. She snapped her fingers. "I
know! I'll go ask him!"
"Idiot…Xellos is dead."
Iffy blinked. "No he's not. I was talking to Lord Callisto, and he said that Xellos
was still alive."
Jinnar looked at her in shock. "I was told he was gone…"
"Oh, yeah! He's gone!"
"Good…"
"He's just not dead, that's all!" She smiled brightly.
"Xellos…isn't…dead…" Jinnar bit out. Iffy blinked as he began to stalk back and
forth like a cat. Jinnar wasn't like other Mazoku. He had ambitions of his own. Dreams of
accomplishing what Gaav had not filled his head…
Those dreams could quickly become nightmares if a prodigal son like Xellos were
to return at exactly the wrong moment.
He'd have to be dealt with…
"Um…Mister Lord God General Priest Jinnar Sir?" Iffy asked.
"Hmmm hmm hmm hmm…."
"Sir?"
"Hahahaha…."
Iffy sweatdropped.
"BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! HAHAHA!!!
HAHA HAHA HAHA!!!!"
Am I a bad person, Filia chan?
The dragon's eyes snapped open and searched the room around her. Despite the
voice in her head, she could see plainly that Xellos was still unconscious in bed. She took
a breath and blinked the sleep out of her eyes. What time was it?
The sun was going down outside the window. She stood up and placed the book on
the nightstand again. The Amalgamationists had some very interesting, if totally naïve,
ideas. She'd have to try to finish the book…Without Amara knowing, of course. If she
displayed the slightest interest, her older sister would go into full blown "Recruit" mode
and attempt to bring Filia into the folds of her cult…er…movement.
She stepped over to Xellos' bedside and looked down at him. It was hard to tell if
he was any better. It wasn't as if he had normal vital signs that they could check. He
just…existed.
Reaching out, she paused only an inch from touching his forehead. She had seen
Amara do this, so maybe it would give her some indication as to how he was doing.
Maybe he had a fever or was clammy…
This was ridiculous. There was no reason at all not to check on his condition. She
reached out and placed her palm on his forehead.
Nothing. Neither hot nor cold. Just…there.
She sighed. (See? That wasn't so hard.) The dragon started to pull her hand away,
then found she couldn't. Blinking and looking down, she saw Xellos' hand around her
wrist.
The dragon took a relieved breath. "Xellos," she whispered. "You scared me."
He didn't reply. That's when she noticed that his eyes were still closed. He rolled
over onto his side and pulled her hand closer to his face.
Filia sweatdropped and tried to free her hand without overly disturbing the
sleeping Mazoku. Despite his apparent weakness, she found his grip to be vice-like.
"Namagomi," she growled softly. "Let go of me." She could feel his breath
grazing her fingers as he slept. "Let go! I mean it!" She tried pulling harder, but she was
simply stuck.
Growling, she pulled her mace with her other hand and raised it over her head.
She'd break his grip AND his hand if she had to. Gritting her teeth, she prepared to bring
the mace down.
"Filia…chan…" he mumbled sleepily.
The dragon's expression softened. She lowered her mace and sighed.
"Dammit," she muttered.
Giving up, she reached out with her mace and snagged the chair she had been sitting
in, pulling it to her and sitting down. The Mazoku's grip on her hand hadn't weakened in
the slightest. She sighed again and rested her chin in her hand.
"This doesn't mean I care," she told him. "It just means I don't want Amara
Oneechan yelling at me for bashing your namagomi skull in."
After five minutes without his grip weakening, she decided to give up and settle in
for a long wait. Reaching out with her mace, she pulled the book she had been reading
back to her, opened it with one hand, and started to read.
"Seyruun," Scarrin growled as he looked through the small field-scope at the city
in the distance. "Wonderful. It would take an army to get them out of there, and from the
looks of things, they're going to get there before we can intercept."
"Perhaps the Mazoku could help," Zero suggested, the bandage over his eye
replaced by a red patch.
Scarrin shook his head. "There's something going on on Wolfpack Island," he
muttered. "Something's changed. Best not to ask for a favor until the dust settles." He
growled. "Shit!"
"Why not just go in and get them?" Gandrav asked.
The yellow-eyed man turned to the wolf and grimaced. "We're not talking about
storming a back-country inn. Seyruun is one of the most heavily fortified areas on the
continent. The chimera knows us now. They have the advantage. We'll just have to wait
for them to come out."
"Maybe we don't."
The three of them turned to the woman looking out at the city. "Greysword?"
Scarrin prompted.
She turned to them. "WE can't go in there and get them…But someone else could."
"Berserkers wouldn't last ten minutes…" Zero began.
"Not berserkers," Greysword continued. She thought for a moment. "I think I have
an idea. If I may?" she asked Scarrin. The yellow eyed man nodded, and the
swordswoman started for a horse. "It may take some time to arrange things. I'll be back as
soon as I can and meet you at Yet, near the outskirts of Seyruun."
"Where are you going?" Gandrav asked.
Greysword smiled. "To find someone who CAN go in there." With that, she
started off.
To Be Continued…
Author's Notes:
Jinnar and Iffy… Some of you cheered, and the rest need an explanation. ^_^ Yes, they
ARE based on Jinnai and Ifurita from El Hazard: The Wanderers. Think of Jinnar and Iffy
as guest stars. If you haven't seen El Hazard and El Hazard: The Wanderers, you need to.
It's one of the best animes out there, and characters like Jinnai and Ifurita are why.